Home > Salads > Thai Quinoa Salad Thai Quinoa Salad November 3, 2020 | 4 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This Thai Quinoa Salad combines crunchy veggies, sweet mango, fresh herbs, and greens, all tossed in a quick, blender-made peanut dressing. Thai Quinoa Salad It’s been a while since my last quinoa salad post. My previous ones, like the standard quinoa salad with lemon vinaigrette, the popular sweet potato quinoa salad, and the Southwest Quinoa Salad with cilantro-lime dressing, have been hits. While there are more variations in my salad archives, this is my first Thai-inspired quinoa salad. It tops my favorites with its crunchy, sweet, and savory mix, packed with nutritious ingredients without compromising on flavor. Ingredients In Thai Quinoa Salad Quinoa: Provides a nutritious, gluten-free grain base, adding texture and protein. Kale and Cabbage: Offer crunch and nutrients as leafy greens to your thai quinoa salad. Edamame: Adds a tender texture and plant-based protein. (Add Grilled Chicken for additional protein) Red Pepper, Carrots, Mango: These vegetables and fruit contribute sweetness, crunch, and a variety of vitamins. Cilantro, Green Onions, Cashews: Enhance the salad with fresh, herby flavors and a nutty crunch. Dressing Ingredients (Peanut Butter, Honey, Olive Oil, Hot Water, Garlic, Rice Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Salt, Pepper): Combine to create a creamy, savory-sweet dressing that ties all the salad components together. QUICK TIPTo quickly cool quinoa, spread it on a sheet pan in an even layer and chill in the fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes. Alternatively, use precooked quinoa from the fridge. How To Make Thai Quinoa Salad Cook Quinoa: Rinse, boil with salted water, simmer for 10-15 minutes, then cool. Prepare Edamame: Boil in salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain. Chop Veggies & Fruit: Kale, red pepper, mango, cilantro, cashews, green onions, and cabbage or coleslaw mix. Make Dressing: Blend peanut butter, honey, olive oil, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Assemble: Combine quinoa, edamame, veggies, fruit, and nuts in a bowl. Toss with dressing. Serve: Enjoy immediately, store leftovers separately. STORAGE Separate Components: Store the dressing and thai quinoa salad separately to prevent sogginess. Refrigerate: Place salad and dressing in airtight containers in the fridge. Consume Quickly: Best eaten within 1-2 days for optimal freshness and texture. More Recipes With Quinoa Chicken Quinoa Bowl Quinoa Fried Rice Quinoa Chili Citrus Quinoa Salad Crockpot Mexican Quinoa Tacos FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Thai Quinoa Salad 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe This crunchy, flavor-packed Thai Quinoa Salad is loaded with good-for-you ingredients: crisp veggies, sweet mango, fresh herbs, and a medley of greens. This simple salad is tossed with a peanut dressing that takes minutes to whip together in the blender. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Thai Quinoa Salad 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This crunchy, flavor-packed Thai Quinoa Salad is loaded with good-for-you ingredients: crisp veggies, sweet mango, fresh herbs, and a medley of greens. This simple salad is tossed with a peanut dressing that takes minutes to whip together in the blender. Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad, Vegetarian Cuisine Healthy Keyword Thai Quinoa Salad Prep Time 35 minutes minutes Cook Time 15 minutes minutes Total Time 50 minutes minutes Servings 4 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 707kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $7.81 IngredientsSalad▢ 1/2 cup uncooked white quinoa▢ 2 cups kale▢ 1 cup edamame (See Note 1)▢ 2 cups coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage)▢ 1 red pepper coarsely chopped▢ 1 cup matchstick (or shredded) carrots▢ 1 cup coarsely chopped mango (~1 large or 2 small mangos; See Note 2)▢ 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (~1/2 bunch)▢ 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (~3-4 onions)▢ 1/2 cup cashews coarsely chopped roasted and lightly saltedDressing▢ 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter▢ 3 tablespoons honey▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil▢ 2 tablespoons hot water▢ 1 clove garlic coarsely chopped▢ 1 and 1/2 tablespoons EACH: rice vinegar and low sodium soy sauce▢ Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepperUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsQUINOA: Prepare the quinoa by rinsing it under cold water in a fine mesh sieve to remove the bitter saponin coating. Combine the quinoa and 1 cup water in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, add in 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste), reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep the quinoa covered, and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and place in the fridge or freezer to cool to room temperature.EDAMAME: Meanwhile, bring a pot with 6 cups of water to a boil, then add in 1 tablespoon fine sea salt, and the 1 cup of frozen and shelled edamame. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until edamame is tender. Drain thoroughly.KALE: Remove the thick stems and then very thinly slice (ribbon) the kale. The smaller the shreds of kale, the better! Once it's all chopped, put it in a colander (or the base of a salad spinner) and give it a quick rinse. Rub and massage the kale for about a minute and then give it another quick rinse. Allow the kale to dry completely before using in the salad or spin in the salad spinner to dry it quickly.VEGGIE/FRUIT PREP: Thinly slice the cabbage or measure out 2 cups of coleslaw mix. Coarsely chop the red pepper, mango, cilantro (and then loosely measure to get 1/2 cup) and the cashews. Thinly slice the green onions. DRESSING: Place 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons hot water, coarsely chopped garlic clove, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small blender jar. Process until smooth and refrigerate while preparing everything else.SALAD ASSEMBLY: Combine the cooked and completely cooled quinoa, shredded kale, coleslaw/cabbage, red pepper, carrots, mango, cilantro, green onions, and cashews in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing (to desired preference; we use all the dressing, but you may prefer less; see instruction #7). Toss to combine and enjoy!STORAGE: This salad doesn't sit well with the dressing, so only dress what will be enjoyed the same day. Store any leftover salad and dressing separately. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Edamame is sold fresh or frozen in the store, but I typically use these frozen shelled soybeans since it’s hard for me to find fresh in my area. Note 2: We love honey mangoes (also known as Ataulfo or yellow mangoes) in this salad. They're sweeter and creamier than regular mangoes and don’t have the typical fibers throughout. To tell if your mangoes are ripe, gently squeeze the fruit. If ripe, it will give slightly. Wait until your mango is at peak ripeness to make this Thai Quinoa Salad, for the best flavor and texture. Here’s a quick and helpful visual guide on how to cut a mango! Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 707kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 1935mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 24590IU | Vitamin C: 276mg | Calcium: 325mg | Iron: 8mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Took for a birthday potluck at work. Everybody loved it and wanted recipe. Cooked quinoa in veggie broth and added dried cherries. So so good Reply
